Effusively lyrical without a single word uttered. Organically configured and artificially sweetened. Convolutedly straightforward and definitively elliptical.
Guitarist Daniel Ash, roadie Glenn Campling, and drummer Kevin Haskins after Bauhaus’ breakup, has had its output reconfigured into a number of releases.
Little Plastic Castle dips deep inside the bell-shaped goldfish bowl, sailing powdery-voiced tumults through introspection and over rivers of guitar-speak.
Within minutes, you catch the Kreator inspiration (the cover of “Flag of Hate” is a good tip off), but even “Storming with Menace” was more silly than dumb.
The unifying factor of this cover extravaganza can be irritating (imagine a Hooked on Punk medley), but it’s cool to have so many great songs thrown at you.
ROIR’s previously cassette-only 2×4, a collection of early live clatter from the Teutons, has been remastered for CD, and it’s every bit what you’d expect.
Viking warriors are alive and well. Tremendous metal with plenty of melodicism on their Metal Blade debut. One of the best Swedish metal albums this year.